A sampling of Virginia’s major road projects
HAMPTON ROADS Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel Expansion Project Construction on the $3.8 billion Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel (HRBT) expansion — the largest highway construction project in Virginia’s history — began in October 2020. The project will widen the four-lane segments of the 9.9-mile Interstate 64 corridor in Norf[...]
Tilting toward windmills
Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy S.A.’s October 2021 announcement that it will build the nation’s first offshore-wind blade factory at Portsmouth Marine Terminal has put Hampton Roads on a trajectory to become a supply chain hub for the country’s nascent offshore wind energy industry. The Spanish wind turbine co[...]
Finding new solutions
Movers and shakers in Southwest Virginia wanted to try a new approach to economic development. The stakes were (and are) high. Naturally, the decline of the coal industry had a devastating impact on Virginia’s coalfields. The Appalachian Regional Commission classifies four counties in Southwest Virginia — Buchanan, Dicke[...]
Kicking the can
In April 2020, Savan Group LLC, a federal contractor specializing in digital transformation, information technology and management consulting, gave up its 10,500-square-foot office space in Tysons. Like many other companies, Savan Group shifted to remote work due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but by summer 2021, company President an[...]
On the line
“VMI is at a crossroads. As the world around VMI changes, the Institute must evolve or risk becoming irrelevant.” — One Corps – One VMI: A Unifying Action Plan From a distance, Virginia Military Institute seems timeless, unchanging. The rhythmic marching of the long lines of cadets, the stark outline of the barracks ag[...]
Real world learning
In 2021, colleges and universities got back to semi-normal, holding more classes in person and hosting sporting events and commencement ceremonies. Many institutions required students, faculty and other employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 last fall, and some schools also mandated booster shots. In Hampton Roads, three in[...]
Hubs and spokes
Economic conditions bounced back across many sectors in 2021, but the COVID-19 pandemic still impacted development deals occurring in Virginia. The state saw a great deal of focus on manufacturing and supply chain growth, areas expected to stay busy despite the recent change in state political leadership. In Hampton Roads, many [...]
PAE’s former head named Amentum CEO
John Heller, the former CEO of Falls Church-based contractor PAE Inc., will serve as CEO of Germantown, Maryland-based aerospace defense contractor Amentum Services Inc., which purchased PAE earlier this month. Heller, who led PAE for seven years until March 2021, will take his new post effective March 28, Amentum announced Thur[...]
Walgreens to establish $34.2M fulfillment center in Hanover
Walgreens will invest $34.2 million to establish a micro-fulfillment center in Hanover County, a project expected to create 249 jobs, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Friday. The 65,686-square-foot facility will be located at the 185,000-square-foot Atlee Station Logistics Center and will have automated machinery to allow for a fle[...]
Fed still likely to raise rates, despite Russia-Ukraine conflict
Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond President and CEO Thomas Barkin said Thursday that he hopes to bring interest rates up to pre-pandemic levels “relatively quickly,” while noting that it’s hard to predict the future effect of the geopolitical conflict between Russia and Ukraine on the nation’s economy. Spe[...]
HII announces corporate, human resources promotions
Newport News-based Huntington Ingalls Industries, the nation’s largest military shipbuilder, has promoted Edmond Hughes to executive vice president and chief human resources officer, the company announced Thursday. Hughes has served as vice president of human resources and administration contracts at HII’s Ingalls Sh[...]
Arlington cybersecurity firm promotes CEO
Jennifer Tisdale has been promoted to CEO of GRIMM, the Arlington-based cybersecurity firm announced Tuesday. She was previously the firm’s senior principal of cyber-physical systems security. “Having spent the last decade dedicated to the advocacy of cybersecurity research and testing, it is an honor to lead the str[...]





















